Gill Lewis (Founder)
Hello, my name is Gill Lewis, and I relocated here in 2017. Formerly a vet nurse, I later managed a kennel, cattery, and training centre, in addition to overseeing Crofters Rescue, a facility dedicated to rehabilitating and re-homing unwanted pets. Upon settling in the area, I swiftly gained recognition for my commitment to animal welfare.
Initially called upon to assist a kestrel and then an injured swan, word about my efforts gradually spread, giving rise to WeCare Wildlife. Over the past six years, it has evolved into a bustling home-run rescue. Tracey joined our cause four years ago and provides invaluable daily support. As our workload increased, the need for volunteers to collect animals for us became apparent. We continue to expand, with aspirations for future growth, including acquiring land and establishing a specialized centre.
In addition to our rescue operations, we actively care for the local swan flock, providing winter feed for them. All our endeavours are self-funded through events and your generous donations. Our primary objective remains the rescue, rehabilitation, and eventual release of all animals under our care.
Tracey & Peter Broom (Animal Care & Accounts)
Hello, we would like to introduce ourselves as volunteers for Gill Lewis at WeCare. My wife Tracey (who doesn’t have Facebook so is constantly on mine and is the one who does the majority of answers and collections out of the two of us!!!) and myself. We have a various amount of pets and two teenage children and we both work full time. We have volunteered for Gill for approx 3 1/2 years. We have always cared for birds but we had 5 hedgehogs arrive that needed help in one week. We contacted Gill who very kindly helped us out with all of them and so the story began. Our first ones were fan tailed doves and have been various different animals since. Some staying permanently or rehabilitated and released. We do not do small birds but will collect and get to Gill. We had a total of 14 baby seagulls this year alone. My wife is legendary at not recording releases in fact she can’t even find the one that Stefaan recorded of the mum and ducklings. Below is our rescue dogs Molly and Hetty and slick one of our seagulls that landed in an oil barrel. He is doing really well and can fly but still comes home for breakfast. Life is busy and certainly not boring and is a privilege to work with Gill who with her help and knowledge has helped us help her.
Jack Davison (Website Manager & Rescue Volunteer)
I first met Gill a few years ago, when I needed help with a cygnet that had got into trouble. As Chairman of a large local angling club, Gill quickly became the person to call if I had issues with wildlife on our club waters, usually birds. Since then, she’s supported me with all sorts of wildlife that has come into trouble on our club waters, and from many other locations. Inspired by the work the Gill and the rest of her team do, last year we decided to start returning all the help WeCare had offered us and offer some of our time to support them. Typically, now, myself and Katie support with mainly swan rescues and transport of other poorly patients, from local pickups and vet trips to trips to specialists much further afield. Having access to the club lakes has meant I have been able to offer release sites for lots of WeCare patients over the last couple of years. We’ve had countless ducks, ducklings, geese and swans. It’s great to have release sites which are partly monitored by the anglers of the club, as it allows us to see how the animals re-familiarise themselves with the world after whatever ordeal they may have been through. More recently I have supported WeCare by designing this website.
Stefaan Simons (Press Officer & Rescue Volunteer)
I’ve been involved in animal rescue for 40 years and have a particular passion for badger conservation and welfare. I helped to establish two of the countries leading animal rescue centres in their early days, Hydestile Wildlife Hospital in Godalming and Freshfields Animal Rescue in Ince Blundell, Liverpool, and hope to do the same for WeCare. Now living in Manningtree, I met Gill Lewis in 2020 and she quickly got me working on building patient accommodation and treatment facilities, rescuing animals and writing press releases. I now have the grand title of “Press Officer”, with the responsibility of promoting and raising awareness of the work of WeCare Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation.
It’s so rewarding being part of a new enterprise that is entirely driven by volunteers. Gill and her team are doing an amazing job and I am proud to be part of it. I am sure WeCare will become as respected as Hydestile and Freshfields in the animal rescue and rehabilitation world. It is growing rapidly and is now well established in the region. We can always do with more help, however, so, please, if you have time and energy, do come and join us.